It’s certainly scary for any Missouri father to think about, but the truth remains that some mothers will purposely break a custody agreement and move with a child out of the state. Some do this even though the father has custody and without any kind of prior permission.
This is exactly what happened to one Missouri father. Now, after his ex-wife left the state with their child and she has since been put into police custody, he is going through the legal process of getting his 13-year-old son back to living with him. Before the mother fled the state with the teenager, the father had custody.
According to sources, the parents have been in an ongoing custody battle ever since their 2009 divorce. However, the mother ended up just taking the son and leaving Missouri to go live in Arizona. She reportedly purposely hid from the father where the two were living.
Last month, a warrant for interference with custody by removal from the state or concealing the child was filed against the mother. At the time the felony warrant was issued, it was still unknown where she and the 13-year-old were.
However, a Pulaski County detective went to work spending a number of weeks trying to find the mother and son, and he eventually was able to get a possible address in Arizona where the two may be staying. From there, the detective worked with local authorities, and police were able to locate the two.
The mother was taken into police custody and the teenager was sent to stay with child protective services. In the meantime, the father is working with those services to try and get his son back home.
Source: Waynesville Daily Guide, “Missing child found, mother charged,” March 26, 2012
